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NHL announces 2012 All-Star Fan Balloting

NEW YORK -- The Nashville Predators "Big 3" of Pekka Rinne, Ryan Suter and Shea Weber were all named to the 2012 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting™. With impressive starts this season, the Dallas Stars and the Pittsburgh Penguins -- leaders of the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively - hold a combined 11 spots on the ballot. The ballot includes first-time career appearances from Stars forwards Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson and Penguins forwards James Neal and Jordan Staal and defenseman Kris Letang. Joining their teammates are ballot veterans Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin of the Penguins and Kari Lehtonen, Mike Ribeiro and Sheldon Souray of the Stars.

Among the total 127 players on the ballot, Philadelphia Flyers forward Jaromir Jagr makes his first appearance to the fan voting platform since his campaign for the 2008 NHL All-Star festivities; the Ottawa Senators, the first-time hosts of the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend, have five representatives; and the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Flyers and Penguins each have six players vying to be named first NHL All-Stars in the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game on Sunday, Jan. 29. Polls open to hockey fans worldwide Nov. 14 online at NHL.com/vote and via mobile devices.

Among the few features in the 2012 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting are interactive online ballots in eight different languages, the most in NHL All-Star Fan Balloting history. Fans around the world will be able to vote online at NHL.com/vote in English, French, German, Czech, Finnish, Russian, Slovak and Swedish. Voting concludes Jan. 4, with the top six vote-getters by position - three forwards, two defensemen and goalie – set to take part in the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game®.

"The NHL All-Star Fan Balloting program has always served as a great platform to engage fans worldwide," said Brian Jennings, NHL executive vice president of marketing. "With ballots available in eight languages, fans can vote for their favorite NHL players in their native language, making the 2012 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting truly global."

The 2012 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting marks the sixth straight year the balloting process is entirely digital, with fans casting votes using interactive online ballots at NHL.com/vote, the microsite for the 2012 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting, and via mobile devices. The NHL.com/vote ballot will be optimized for iPad and other tablets.

How to Vote

• NHL.com/vote will feature interactive online ballots available in eight languages, accessible anywhere in the world. Each player ballot page includes video highlights and real-time, sortable player statistics. Fans will be permitted to select as few as one player - a balloted player or write-in - per online ballot.

• Mobile users in the U.S. and Canada will be able to cast their votes via text message using any mobile device and wireless carrier or via a mobile ballot available in English and French. To vote via text message using any wireless carrier, fans should text their favorite player’s last name to the shortcode 81812. Message and data rates may apply. The mobile ballot is available on iPhone, Android and other mobile devices, using any wireless carrier.

• Facebook and Twitter users will be able to share their individual player selections online. Upon submitting a ballot on NHL.com/vote, fans can send messages inviting others to cast their votes online.

2012 NHL All-Star Weekend SweepstakesEligible residents of the United States and Canada who vote online at NHL.com/vote can enterfor a chance to win one grand prize: a trip for two to attend the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend in Ottawa. There is no purchase necessary to enter or win. For sweepstakes rules, visit NHL.com/vote.

Promotional Campaign

The NHL will promote the 2012 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting across its TV, print, online, in-arena, social networking and wireless advertising platforms. Promotional support will be provided by the NHL Network™, NHL Radio™ and broadcast partners VERSUS (U.S.), CBC (Canada) and RDS (Canada). In addition, promotional materials for the campaign will launch in English and French on Nov. 14, the first day of voting. TV and digital promotional spots in German, Czech, Finnish, Russian, Slovak and Swedish will debut online and during NHL game broadcasts in Europe in the coming weeks.

Voting results will be posted to NHL.com every Tuesday, starting Nov. 22.